U.S. 311 signs to come down

HIGH POINT — A state plan to update highway signage along a major thoroughfare through High Point has drawn the support of city leaders.

The N.C. Department of Transportation will remove signs for U.S. 311 along the Interstate 74 corridor through Randolph, Guilford and Forsyth counties.

The City Council next month will consider a resolution of support for the change, which has been endorsed by a council committee.

“The purpose for this is really just to consolidate some routes,” said High Point Transportation Director Mark McDonald. “They’re just looking at ways they can clarify some highway signing. You just get to a point where you have so many routes on one road that it’s too difficult for motorists to really decipher, and it’s kind of redundant.”

The state shifted the U.S. 311 designation from Main Street through High Point to what is now I-74 as the project was built through the early and mid-2000s.

Interstate 74 was commonly known as the “311 Bypass” until it was given interstate designation once the last segment was completed through Randolph County.

Main Street through High Point and Archdale was designated U.S. 311 Business until the last leg of I-74 was built. The 311 designation then was dropped from Main Street.

McDonald said he believes the 311 signs will be gone by the end of the year. Most of the work is being done by DOT, but the city will be responsible for changing some of the signage.

“Hopefully, it will be less confusing for visitors,” said Councilman Jason Ewing.

After the change, U.S. 311 will still technically run concurrently with I-74 from just north of Asheboro to Winston-Salem, where it becomes a separate highway and runs through portions of Forsyth, Stokes and Rockingham counties before connecting with U.S. 58 just west of Danville, Virginia.